The Surefire Way To Destroy the Mind, Body, and Soul — To Not Work

In the past I had everything taken care of. Namely, having to go to college. I got a grant to be able to go to college and begin my studies — plus the positive of living from home. This effectively completely absolved my responsibilities in the world. I simply had to go to school, do well, and everything else was "taken care of". I emphasize "taken care of" because that is exactly what it was. To be handled hand-and-foot where other people managed my life. Taking care of any responsibility that I would otherwise have to bear. I didn't need to pay any bills. Mom had that for me. I didn't need to even clean my room. Mom took care of that. I didn't even need a job. My grants paid me for going to school. So long as my grades were adequate, the money would flow.

It made sense to me that, now that everything was "taken care of", I simply had very little to do. This left me to a lot of free time to play video games, to hang out with friends, and have an overall very easy-going life. Nothing was too much pressure. Even the classes themselves were a breeze. Being able to come and go as I pleased, pass my test, and keep going on my way. Yet for some reason, I seemed to build up this unusual and unknown sense of "angst". "What is this feeling?" I thought. Why, for example, would when people came over and I would feel frustrated that I had to do something for someone? Why would I dread the idea of working in general when everything is effectively taken care of? This sense of apathy, destructive behavior, brought me to a brink of understanding.

My mom eventually yelled at me to the point I would have to get myself a job. I forced myself to get a job and eventually found one working at a Taco Bell. Somehow, the angst, the depressive tendencies to isolate, started to dissipate. I became more open, more active, and started to appreciate the money that I made. Being that it was money made by me. Not by government funding. After a while I considered that the best way to relieve yourself of your own depressive tendencies is to do what you don't want to do. To work. Your mind comes at ease, taking in the day in and day out processes of handling customers, talking with bosses and coworkers. You achieve a sense of value. Even though all you're making is tacos, or getting yelled at by bosses, coworkers, or customers.

This effect is only amplified when you do something you really like doing. I eventually got a job working in the IT field and couldn't be happier. I work computers, as it is my passion, and create something, make people happy, steer them in the right direction to fixing their problems. There is a sense of accomplishment every day I come in to work. Because of this, the monstrosity that hangs out around the corner, "Angst", simply cannot grow or fester because of idle hands. Hence bringing wisdom in the old phrase:

"The devil makes work for idle hands."

This is not just a euphemism of fuddy-duddies to suggest "please don't masturbate." But really an understanding that within our brains we crave usefulness. That we produce something; anything. That if you don't do it, psychologically drives you towards a pathologic state of mental being, where you effectively lay in a depressive mode that is difficult to get out of. You don't have to get a job specifically. You just need to do work. Do any work. It's even better if that work is fulfilling.

Perhaps some of you have experienced this as I have, I don't know. I am not a neurologist. I do not understand the science behind this, and honestly, at best my experience is anecdotal. So you should take this like a grain of salt. Proceeding with caution; but that additionally if you have experienced this, or maybe experienced the opposite effect — you should post a comment of your findings below.